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gan to tell abroad what they had seen and heard. V. 18. All that heard it wondered. This does not necessarily indicate that all shared the faith of the shepherds. Per haps their “wonder” was rather a feeling of vague surprise. II. Mary’s Submission and Faith (Lk. 2:19). V. 19. Mary , kept all these sayings. She fixed them in her memory. It is not im possible that she also preserved a written record which Luke was permitted to see. Pondering them in her heart. ■ Mary was a quiet, meditative woman. She talked much to God, no doubt, but said little to others. III. The Miracle at Cana (John 2:1-5). V. 1. The third day. Probably this means the third day after Jesus called Nathaniel ( 1 :45-51). The careful noting of the days indicates that John, who tells the story, must have been present. Mar riage in Cana o f Galilee. Situated five miles from Nazareth. There was an other Cana in Judea. The mother of Jesus was there. Since she was prominent in the events that occurred she may have been an intimate friend or a relative of the family where they were guests. Joseph is not mentioned; it is probable that he had died before this time. V. 2. Jesus also was bidden, and his dis ciples. At this early stage o f Jesus’ min istry the Twelve had perhaps not been gathered together. If so, the disciples were probably James, John, Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathaniel. To the mar riage. Some one has said that the Man of Sorrows came to increase earth’s joys as well as to remove its grief. His first miracle was at a wedding. V. 3. When the wine failed . We are not told how this happened/ Some have guessed that it was because of the unex pected presence of Christ and His dis ciples. The mother o f Jesus said . . . they have no wine. The failure o f wine at a wedding feast was felt to be a dis grace. Mary brought her perplexity to Jesus, evidently expecting Him to make some display o f His divine power? V. 4. Jesus said unto her, Woman. Use of the word translated “woman” does not suggest anything disrespectful or offensive. What have I to do with thee? Literally, “what to me and to thee?” One commentator thinks He said in effect: “Let me alone; what is there, common to me and thee; we stand in this matter on altogether different grounds.” Mine, hour is not yet come. Mary, expected Jesus to work a miracle, if necessary, although she ’ had never seen one ( c f . ' v. 11). Throughout His whole ministry He avoid ed anything that savored o f mere display of His power. V. 5. IHs mother saith unto the ser vants She urged the servants to do exactly as Jesus might bid them. She still ex pected Him to meet the need. V. Scene at he Cross (John 19:25-27). V. 25. These things therefore the sol diers did. Their part in the cruel ,tragedy was driving o f the nails through the hands and feet of Jesus, lifting Him upon the cross, and gambling for His clothes. Standing by the cross o f Jesus his mother. Did she understand the inner meaning of the death o f Christ better than the dis ciples (cf. Matt. 16:21-23)? Or was it merely her mother love that brought her
of Holies, he poured out his soul in sup plication. Yet, when the angel appeared and told him his great desire was to be granted, Zacharias did not believe. “How shall I know it will come true ?” He asked the angel. He was looking at the difficul ties in the way, failing to trust God when he could not understand. He wanted a sign that the promise would really be ful filled, and a sign iyas given. He was stricken dumb, and probably deaf. The waiting people outside had begun to wonder what was keeping the priest so long. When he did appear, he was voice less, and could make known to them only by signs what had happened. After his service at the temple was ended, he left Jerusalem, for his home near Hebron. How happy he and Elisabeth were when the baby boy came to them! As they called his name John, the speech of Zach arias returned as suddenly as it had left him. They brought up their baby as God had told them to d o ; they taught him to worship, love and obey God. John gave his life to God, to be used of Him. As we read the story o f his obedience to the call of God, we know that the promise made by the angel did come true. Be cause of this boy many did indeed rejoice. Lesson: Luke 2:15-19; John 2:1-5, 19: 25-27; Isa. 9:1-7; Heb. 1; John 19:1-42. . (Lesson Text: Luke 2:15-19; John 2: 1-5; 19:25-27.) Golden Text: “Mary kept all these say ings, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). L esson in O utline I. Visit o f the Shepherds (Lu. 2:15- 18). 1. Their faith (15). 2. Their haste (16). 3. Their search rewarded (16). 4. Their witnessing (17). 5. The‘ effect of their message (18). II. Mary’s Submission and Faith (Lu 2:19). III. The Miracle at Cana (John 2:1-5). 1. The occasion (1). 2. The guests (2). 3. The failure o f the wine (3). , 4: Jesus’ seeming reproof o f Mary • ' i (4). 5. Mary’s confident faith (5). TV. Scene at the Cross (John 19:25- 27). 1. The sorrowing witnesses (25). . 2. Farewell words (26, 27). A pproach to the L esson ARY, the mother of Jesus, measured x by any rule, stands unique and alone among the highest and noblest of women. Yet she never received when on earth, nor should she now have, the worship that be longs alone to God. To speak of her as “the mother of God” is to commit sacri- lege. Mary was highly honored primarily be cause o f her faith. When she received the angel’s message that she was to be the mother of Messiah, she bowed in humble submission to the will of God. The mar October 12, 1930 _NJai?y the Mother of Jesus (An Example of Motherhood)
The Refiner at Work ’Tis sweet to feel that He who tries The silver, takes His seat Beside the fire that purifies, Lest too intense a heat — Raised to consume the base alloy, The precious metals, too, destroy. ’ Tis good to think how well He knows The silver’s power to bear The ordeal through which it goes; And that with skill and care He’ll take it from the fire, when fit, With His own hand to polish it. —Methodist Protestant Recorder. vel of such a privilege for a poor maiden, one of the poorest and feeblest in all Israel was very great; but simple faith accepted and she said, “ Be it unto me according to thy word.” On the other hand, the pos sible danger of misunderstanding and of suffering slanderous taunts of unkind un believers. called for even greater faith. Because she believed she “ found favor with God” (Lk. 1:30). Many generations have said of her . as Elisabeth said, “Blessed is she that believed” (1:45). * sfc sR H eart of the L esson I. The Visit o f the Shepherds (Lk. 2:15 18). V. 15. The angels went away. The birth of Jesus had been announced. The place of His birth had been told (v. 11). His lowly manger bed had been described (v.* 12). The shepherds went to. obtain con-; firmation of what they had been told. The hem. Tradition has it that these shep herds were from a village about nine miles from Bethlehem. See this thing. The simple, humble shepherds expected to find things to be exactly in accord with what had been told. They were not stag gered by the announcement that the" Mes siah for whom they were looking was a babe lying in a manger. V. 16. Came with haste. Their zeal in dicates that they were pious men, appre ciating the importance of the message they had received. Both Mary and Jo seph. They had been brought to their an cestral village by the decree of the em peror that all the citizens of the empire should be enrolled (cf. 2:1-5). Such a circumstance was used to fulfill a proph ecy concerning Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). The babe lying in the manger. The over crowded condition of the village compelled Joseph and Mary to find shelter in a stable (v. 7). Apocryphal writers declare that this stable was a cave near the town. Their opinions were apparently based on unverified traditions. V. 17. They made known. The shep herds did not doubt, but immediately be shepherds said. Lit erally, “k e p t say ing.” The'wonderful scene they had wit nessed stirred their imaginations and aroused their inter- estiSLtff us now go even unto Bethle
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